Hey!
I have a friend in Michigan who is asking the following question:
Her niece has 22 month old boy who is small for his age. His dad is about 5'4" & 120 (if that). He had a WIC appointment last week, they turned her in to social services because they said she missed one of his shots & because he is under weight. The PS worker came & checked him out & said "Well, he isn't under weight, just small." But, they are saying she HAS to get his vaccination! Does anyone know what you can do when they are trying to say she has to get it?

Someone told her that
"The same thing happened to my cousin & her daughter in Michigan. My
cousin ended up going to a private physician - signing a waiver for
personal/religious reasons & getting a statement from her physician
that the baby need not be vaccinated. She did lose her WIC, though."

Basically, will this woman lose her WIC coverage for deciding not to vax on the regular schedule?

Vaccinating is not a condition for WIC, so she cannot lose WIC over declining vaccinations.

The social worker is just wrong. What she can do is point out the Michigan law allowing for parents to exempt their children from vaccinations. Michigan allows for medical, religious and philosophical exemptions, so all she has to do is point out the law. The law would not allow parents to exempt their children from vaccines if it was illegal. Do you see what I'm getting at? I mean, personally, I would hire a lawyer, just because I don't think it's worth it to screw around with CPS, but I know that may not be possible for her financially. So if she can't hire a lawyer, she just has to fall back on the law. The law doesn't allow parents to do things that are illegal. The law says she can refuse vaccinations for reasons of conscience, without being a member of a religious organization. She needs to present the law to the CPS worker and not back down.

(1) A child is exempt from the requirements of this part as to a specific immunization for any period of time as to which a physician certifies that a specific immunization is or may be detrimental to the child's health or is not appropriate.

(2) A child is exempt from this part if a parent, guardian, or person in loco parentis of the child presents a written statement to the administrator of the child's school or operator of the group program to the effect that the requirements of this part cannot be met because of religious convictions or other objection to immunization.

FWIW i was on WIC until DS was a year old. He has never been vaccinated. When they asked me for his vaccination record as proof of identity I asked if there was anything else they could use and they didn't give me any problems.

I was on WIC for a short time until I realized the only foods I could eat were the carrots and instant oatmeal (our WIC doesn't allow the quick oats : ). I was BFing and dd had some bad reflux so I was on a restricted diet to help control it.

Anyway, they asked if dd was up to date on her vx and I simply said yes. She was in fact on the schedule I wanted her to be on. Nothing else required. I'm surprised to read that they ask to see proof. It hasn't been my experience in NJ. I hear the requirements for the program can vary widely from state to state and even from county to county.

Thank you for your recent e-mail to the website of the Department of Agriculture/Food and Nutrition Service (USDA/FNS), Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC). In your e-mail you stated your belief that WIC staff around the country are requiring parents to provide their children’s immunization records for WIC certification and identification purposes.

Federal WIC Program regulations require WIC local agencies to check an individual’s identity as part of the certification process. For an infant, acceptable forms of documentation of identity include an immunization record or birth certificate.

In its role as an adjunct to health care, the WIC Program screens immunization records and refers WIC participants for immunizations if needed. Because immunization rates of low-income children lag behind those of more affluent children, a White House Executive Memorandum was issued in December 2000, directing WIC to screen the immunization records of all infants and children under the age of two at WIC certification visits. WIC therefore reminds and encourages parents to bring immunization records to visits. However, as you noted, immunizations records and up-to-date immunization status are not required in order to receive WIC benefits.

Monitoring and evaluation conducted by USDA/FNS shows that WIC Programs are following policy related to immunization screening and referral.If you have identified specific WIC agencies or clinics where you have observed otherwise, please let us know so that we can look further into the matter.

Thank you for your recent e-mail to the website of the Department of Agriculture/Food and Nutrition Service (USDA/FNS), Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC). In your e-mail you stated your belief that WIC staff around the country are requiring parents to provide their children’s immunization records for WIC certification and identification purposes.

Federal WIC Program regulations require WIC local agencies to check an individual’s identity as part of the certification process. For an infant, acceptable forms of documentation of identity include an immunization record or birth certificate.

In its role as an adjunct to health care, the WIC Program screens immunization records and refers WIC participants for immunizations if needed. Because immunization rates of low-income children lag behind those of more affluent children, a White House Executive Memorandum was issued in December 2000, directing WIC to screen the immunization records of all infants and children under the age of two at WIC certification visits. WIC therefore reminds and encourages parents to bring immunization records to visits. However, as you noted, immunizations records and up-to-date immunization status are not required in order to receive WIC benefits.

Monitoring and evaluation conducted by USDA/FNS shows that WIC Programs are following policy related to immunization screening and referral.If you have identified specific WIC agencies or clinics where you have observed otherwise, please let us know so that we can look further into the matter.

Thank you all so much! I have directed my friend to this topic so that she can share the information with her niece. I had forgotten how wonderful the people here can be! (It's been awhile since I've been on this forum.) Thank you!

Thank you for your recent e-mail to the website of the Department of Agriculture/Food and Nutrition Service (USDA/FNS), Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC). In your e-mail you stated your belief that WIC staff around the country are requiring parents to provide their children’s immunization records for WIC certification and identification purposes.

Federal WIC Program regulations require WIC local agencies to check an individual’s identity as part of the certification process. For an infant, acceptable forms of documentation of identity include an immunization record or birth certificate.

In its role as an adjunct to health care, the WIC Program screens immunization records and refers WIC participants for immunizations if needed. Because immunization rates of low-income children lag behind those of more affluent children, a White House Executive Memorandum was issued in December 2000, directing WIC to screen the immunization records of all infants and children under the age of two at WIC certification visits. WIC therefore reminds and encourages parents to bring immunization records to visits. However, as you noted, immunizations records and up-to-date immunization status are not required in order to receive WIC benefits.

Monitoring and evaluation conducted by USDA/FNS shows that WIC Programs are following policy related to immunization screening and referral.If you have identified specific WIC agencies or clinics where you have observed otherwise, please let us know so that we can look further into the matter.

It's time for those who have been harassed to start making complaints to Mr. Mitchell. It's always better to start your complaint off "at the top" . . . and that would be the USDA.

Every baptized Christian is, or should be, someone with an actual (disturbing) experience, ... a close encounter, with God; someone who, as a result, becomes a disturbing presence to others. - Fr. Anthony J. Gittins, A Presence That Disturbs